🦩 Staying at Luxury Hotels in Exchange for a Few Hours of Work 🎴

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu

Hello there,

Ever dream of living the high life? Picture this: lounging in a luxurious hotel suite, enjoying plush amenities, and waking up to breathtaking views—all without breaking the bank! Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, brace yourself, travel lovers, because a Japanese start-up is making this dream a reality!

Their innovative idea? Connecting guests eager for a posh stay with hotels facing staff shortages. By dedicating a few hours of your time to light tasks like social media posting or guest assistance, you could unlock the door to luxury for a fraction of the usual cost. Intrigued? Keep reading to discover how you can trade a little work for a whole lot of luxury! ✨

TRAVEL HACK ALERT! LUXURY HOTELS IN EXCHANGE FOR A FEW HOUR’S WORK IN JAPAN 🔴

Imagine indulging in a luxurious hotel stay, complete with plush beds, breathtaking views, and fancy amenities – all for a fraction of the usual cost! Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, hold onto your wanderlust hats, because a clever Japanese startup is making this dream a reality by connecting eager travelers with understaffed hotels. Forget inflation woes and staff shortages – this win-win solution could be your next travel hack!

How It Works?

Introducing Otetsutabi, which translates to "help travel" in Japanese. They pair up individuals looking for a budget-friendly luxury stay with hotels or ski resorts struggling to find staff. Instead of paying a hefty price tag, you contribute a few hours of light work (think room cleaning, bed-making, or light kitchen assistance) in exchange for your luxurious digs and meals.

Sound Familiar?

If you've ever heard of "wwoofing" in Australia and New Zealand, then the model might ring a bell. Just replace farms with fancy hotels, and you've got the gist! This unique concept addresses two pain points: understaffing in the hospitality industry and travelers' desire for affordable luxury experiences. Plus, it can even introduce you to lesser-known corners of Japan!

Ready to Trade Time for Luxury?

Head over to the Otetsutabi website (currently in Japanese) and browse destinations based on your schedule. While primarily catering to Japanese citizens, anyone with a work permit can join the fun. Each listing details the expected work hours (usually 4-5 hours daily), tasks, and included accommodation and meals. And just to sweeten the deal, you'll earn the minimum hourly wage (around €6.30) for your efforts.

The Verdict?

With 48,000 people registered and triple the number of businesses seeking helpers in just two years, it's safe to say Otetsutabi's onto something! So, if you're looking for a unique, budget-friendly, and potentially eye-opening travel experience, this might just be your ticket to luxury on a dime. ✨

Ready to try it out? Let me know if you have any questions!

TRAVEL DIARIES

Precious headphone on the plane.

Source: Abhijit Kulkarni on www.quora.com

“I was traveling from Los Angeles (LA) to Bengaluru via Doha. In the first leg of the journey, from LA to Doha, when I just boarded the flight, I saw a woman in her 60s occupying my seat.

I told her that she had occupied my seat and that she had to vacate it. It was an aisle seat. First she got up, then checked her boarding pass. Her seat was actually the immediate next seat - the center seat. Once she realized that, she started shouting at me. Literally shouted that she could not sit in her seat, and she would sit in the aisle seat belonging to me. She mentioned she had some leg-ache.

If she had requested, I might have obliged perhaps. But she was actually shouting and acting as if it was a sin to ask her get up from my seat! I had specially selected aisle seat considering I am close to 6 feet tall, and didn't want to bother co-passengers when I need to use the toilet.

So I just told her I couldn't change my seat. The flight attendants obviously told her to move to her seat. With lot of grudge she moved.

That was not the end of the story. She grabbed the headphone kept for my seat saying that it belonged to her. I was okay with it considering that I could just take the headphone kept at 'her seat'. Unfortunately there was no headphone in her place. I was again getting irritated and was planning to call the steward. It turns out she was 'sitting' on a headphone. Once she figured that out, she gave me back my headphone.

So much drama for the headphone - she didn't use it at all during the whole 16 hour journey!

Needless to say it was the worst co-passenger I have ever encountered till now!”

MINGO-MEMES

VASCO-SNAP OF THE DAY

Gooderham Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada